What's up in emerging technology

What's up in emerging technology

Google Assistant now comes with a real-time translator for 27 languages

Google has unveiled a new feature in Google Assistant, called Interpreter Mode, which can translate peoples’ conversations in real time.

The details: You don’t have to state which language you’re speaking, as the software can tell (if it’s one of the 27 languages it supports). There are some kinks: it won’t work if more than one person speaks, and it requires some unnatural gaps in the conversation while it processes, according to The Verge. For the time being, it’s only available on the Google Home Hub and third-party smart displays.

Background: This isn’t Google’s first go at real-time translation. It incorporated a similar feature into earbuds in November 2017 and already offers a similar service via Google Translate. Google’s virtual assistant has been endowed with a lot of new powers over the last year, including making bookings on your behalf and screening spam callers.

This story first appeared in our newsletter The Download. Sign up here to get your daily dose of the latest in emerging tech.